Cord holder for electric irons



Nov. 15, 1949 M. c. ALLEN CORD HOLDER FOR ELECTRIC IRONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 24, 1948 I NVENT'OR; MARTHA c. ALLEN,

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 15, 1949 T OFFICE CORD HOLDER FOR ELECTRIC IRONS Martha 0. Allen, Washington, Mo.

Application September 24, 1948, Serial No. 50,893

1 Claim. (01. 248-51) This invention relates to cord holders for electric irons, and the main object of the invention is to provide a cord holder of this kind comprising an elongated rod of flexible steel or the like, the same having a clamp at its lower end for engaging an ironing board, a combination hinge and swivel joint for connecting the clamp with the rod, and whereby the rod may be conveniently folded down alongside the board for storage when not in use, and a slotted head of insulation material at the upper end of the rod for frictionally engaging the electric cord leading from the wall plug to the ironas positioned upon the ironing board.

Another object of the invention is to provide a form of clamp for attaching a rod-like ironing cord holder to an ironing board, the said clamp including a U-shaped clamping member for positioning over an edge of the ironing board, a screw-threaded bolt passed through the lower jaw of the U-shaped member and adapted to turn up against the ironing board for lockingly engaging same, a flat clamp engaging tab hinged onto the U-shaped clamping member, a rod engaging tab swivelled upon the outer free end of the clamp engaging tab, a flexible cord supporting rod extended from the rod engaging tab, a slotted cord engaging head of insulation material mounted at the outer free end of the flexible rod, and means embodied upon the clamping member and associated clamp engaging tab and rod en-,

gaging tab for releasably maintaining the ele-' ments to upright position when in use, while permitting them to be folded flatly to the ironing board when not in use.

With the stated objects in view, together with such other and additional objects and advantages as may appear from the specification, attention is directed to the accompanying drawing as embodying certain preferred structural forms and features of the invention, and wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a form of the invention employing a relatively short and stiff cord supporting rod, attached at one side of an ironing board arranged to fold up into a wall case when not in use, the position of the device as folded down upon the board being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a frontal elevation onanenlarged scale, of the device as shown in Figure 1, as removed from the ironing board, with the elements positioned vertically.

Figure 3 is a side or edge View of as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a similar side view of the device as folded down flatly.

the device Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the device, show ing the hinged, clamp engaging tab turned upwardly and the rod engaging tab turned down-'- Wardly edgewise.

Figure 6 Ba sideelevation of the device as used upon an individual or unattached form of ironing board, and employingan elongated, flexible cord supporting rod extended from a clamp attached at the rear end of the board, the ele-' ments beingall positioned asready for use and the cord plug shown raised as for insertion into an overhead socket. v

Figure 7 is a similar side elevation showing the electric iron and flexible cord supporting rod as in actual use upon the ironing board, the cord supporting rod being flexed outwardly with the forward movement of the iron.

Figure 8 is a view similar to that of Figure 7,' the cord plug being shown as inserted into a base-' board-socket and the cord itself shown as wound upwardly along'the long and flexible cord supporting rod.

As shown in details in Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, the

most important feature of this invention lies in.

lines in Figure 1, and in full lines in Figures 4 and 5.

The broadly formed clamp 3 ismade of spring sheet steel, U'-shaped in contour and'includesa broad back piece 3a, a broad lower jaw 3b, a" broad upper jaw 30, and a pair of upstanding ears or tabs 3d extended up from the lateral margins of the upper jaw in spaced alignment. This clamp 3 may be stamped out of sheet metal and formed with reinforcing bosses or beads 3e pressed out along the back 3a and over the jaws 3b, 30. Deep latch-grooves 3 are formed vertically on the inner faces of the upstanding tabs 3d and extend out through the upper ends of these tabs. The lower jaw 3b is bored and tapped as at 39 for threadedly engaging a threaded clamping bolt 6, provided with a handle 6e, and whereby the clamp 3 may be seated over the side edge or end of the ironing board 5, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 6, and firmly locked thereto by turning up the bolt 6.

The ears or tabs 3d are bored through as at 3h, and a headed draw-bolt or thumb bolt 1 is passed through these bores of the tabs. A thumb-nut 1a is seated upon the outer extended and threaded end of the bolt 1.

A double-leaved clamp engaging tab 8 is provided, thesame being stamped out of sheet metal and foldedfmedially upon itself and rounded out at the bight to form a sleeve 8a, whereby it is seated upon the draw-bolt 1, with the leaves 812; 8c, turned upwardly and adapted to seat at their.

lateral edges within the latch grooves 3; of the tabs 3d when the thumb nut la is tightened-up sufficiently to draw the tabs inward against the edges of the tab 8, thus releasably locking the tab 8 to upstanding, vertical position. Oneof the leaves, as 80, of the double leaved tab 8, is formed at its upper and lateral margins with latch-grooves 8d, 8e, and a short draw-bolt 9 is passedtransversely through the leaves, the outer threaded end of this bolt being fitted with a thumb nut 9a, whereby the leaves 819, 80, may be"ti'ghtened up together or loosed, as may be required in the operation of the device and as later explained... A fiat and oblong rod engaging tab HLis pivotally swivelled upon the bolt 9 and between the leaves 8b, 8c of the tab 8, by passing the bolt.9 through the apertured lower end of ithis tabv Hi as it is positioned between the leaves. The tab Ill is formed with a medial bead orboss Hla, adapted to align with and seat into either of the latch grooves 8d or Be of the leaf Bc of the tab 8, as the tab I is turned up vertically .as shown in Figure 2, or is turned down loops lllb are pressed up from the tab It in longitudinally spaced alignment, and the lower endof'th'e cord supporting rod 4 is frictionally, seatedthroughthese loops whereby this rod is Rod engaging thus operatively locked in position. The rod 4 is equipped at its upper end with a slotted head 4a oflinsulation material, the slot 4b of this rod beingadapted to engage the conventional electric cord 'or conductor II, which connects the iron l2 This socket may be 10-.

with the wall socket l3. cated, of course, at the ceiling of a room (not shown), as indicated in Figure 6, or at the floor as shown in Figure 8, or within a wall case M provided for receiving the foldable board 5, as shown in Figure 1.

Whereused in connection with a board foldable into awall case M (Figure 1) a relatively short form of the cord supporting rod 4 is thought to be desirable, but for use upon the individual or unattached forms of ironing boards the long and flexible cord supporting rod, as shown in Figures 6, 7, 8, are more desirable, as these rods readily fiex and bend according to the motions of the operator. As shown in Figure 8, the cord may the iron is frictionally gripped by the margins of the slot 41) of the insulation head 4a, thus bringing into play the flexibility of the long form of cord supporting rod 4, as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

In use, the rod 4 is raised to its vertical position by turning the clamp engaging tab 8 up until its edges align and fall into the latch grooves 3 f of the tabs 311, after which the draw bolt 1 is tightened up for locking the ears or tabs 3d to the edges of the tab 8 for holding same in vertical position. Similarly, the rod 4 and connected tab M are then turned up vertically and the draw bolt 9 is tightened up for locking the bead or boss lila into the latch roove 8d of the leaf 8c of-the tab .8, whereby all these" elements are supported vertically in position for use. The light cord H is properly trained through the slot ib-of the insulated head 4a as carried by the rod 4;- When'the work of ironing is completed, the

cord H and iron l2 are removed, and the rod 4 'is folded down laterally by first loosening the thumb nut 9a of thebolt 9, after which the tab 8 is folded down by loosening the nut la of the bolt -l.- In this way the rod 4 may be folded down longitudinally upon the board 5, regardless of whether it is mounted atsthe side of the board as in Figure 1, or at the end of'theboard as in FigureG. The board 5 may then be stored away without removing the clamp 3 and attachments. This is a considerable advantage, since it saves time and guards against loss of any of the parts.

It is thought that the construction, use and the claim. I claim In'a device of the kind described, an ironing board clamp of spring sheet metal, U-shaped in contour and formed with a broad back piece-and lower and upper jaws and a pair of upstanding tabs extended'up from the lateral margins of the upper jaw in spaced alignment, the said back i piece and jaws being formed with reinforcing beads extended continuously along over the'back and jaws, and there being deep latch-grooves formed and extended vertically on the inner faces r of the upstanding tabs and out through the upper ends thereof, the-said tabs being bored through in transverse aligmnent; a headed draw bolt passedthrough the-bores of the tabs, a thumb' nut seated'upon the'outer extended-end of the bolt, a double-leaved-clamp engaging tab formed of sheet metal folded medially upon itself and rounded out at its bight as a sleeve for receiving the said draw-bolt, whereby the said double leaved clamp engaging tab may be turned up Ver tically for releasably' seating'at their lateral edgesin the latch grooves of the first-mentioned upstanding tabs of the ironing board clamp when the said thumb-nut is tightened up, oneof the leaves. of the double-leaved clamp engaging-tab being formedbothat its upper and lateral margins with outwardly extended latch-grooves, "a

short draw-bolt passed transverselythrough the M leavesof the saiddouble-leaved clamp engaging tab, 2. thumb-nut seated uponthe outer extended end .of this bolt, a flat and oblong rod engaging" tab pivotally swivelled upon the short draw "bolt between the leaves of the double-leaved clamp. tab, :the latter being apertured" through its lower end for receiving said bolt, said rod engaging tab being formed with a medial boss adapted to align with and releasably seat in either of the latch grooves of the one leaf of the double-leaved clamp engaging tab as the rod engaging tab is turned up vertically or is turned down laterally, the said rod engaging tab being formed with rod engaging loops positioned thereon in longitudinally spaced alignment, a cord supporting rod seated at its lower end through said loops, and means for releasably securing the ironing board clamp upon a conventional elongated ironing board, whereby the said cord supporting rod may be turned down longitudinally upon the board whether the ironing board clamp is mounted upon a side of the board or at an end thereof, and in either position may be turned up and supported vertically for use as may be desired.

MARTHA C. ALLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

